Lose Weight & Shape Your Curves

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Coach Krys, Founder and Head Trainer of Signature shape, located in Brampton, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Signature Shape is a body recomposition program for women. We work with women in the local community who are interested in building a stronger, tighter shape and developing a healthier lifestyle.

Tell us about yourself

I worked in children's mental health and found an interest in fitness through my own personal fat-loss journey. I had a dream of operating my own personal training business; however, between working overnights, raising a child, and going back to school for upgrades, I was too stretched to really plan out what that would look like. In 2017, I suddenly found myself without a job due to a four-month job action strike. During the strike, I was forced to pick up several odd jobs to make ends meet and worked more hours than ever before. I was tired. As the strike came to an end, I was in the position to be offered a position back with the company or be financially compensated with a layoff. I decided that I would take the opportunity to start over and not return to overnight work. I would use this money to buy a laptop and some business cards and start building out what became Signature Shape. Being in control of how I develop my business and seeing the positive impacts of my program keeps me going. I love to challenge myself every day to create new ways of marketing and building the brand.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Going through the pandemic and several lockdowns, I was able to retain most of my client base and gained new clients during that time as well. I saw how committed my clients were to their personal fitness and the program. Looking back, I started in 2017 with one person off Kijiji who didn't know me. I went through two years of pandemic lockdowns, and in 2022, not starting back in the gym until February, due to a pandemic lockdown, 2022 has turned out to be my best year yet!

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

The most challenging thing for me to learn as a business owner is finding balance. Taking breaks and also maintaining my personal health are often placed on the back burner. I realized that although owning a business is a huge commitment, I cannot be a horrible boss to myself. I need to give myself breaks and time off and have a healthy work-life balance. I am hiring people this year to reduce some of the task load.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Believe in yourself and your idea. Manifest how you want your life and your business to look. Write all of this down in detail.
Start now. Don't wait for the perfect time; this will never come. The most important advice I got in the beginning and didn't understand until now was to just start. Nothing will be perfect. You will try things, and they won't work. Don't overthink anything. If you have an idea, just put it out there and fix or adjust it as you go. It will eventually become exactly what you want.
Don't be the worst boss you've ever had! Give yourself a break. Maintaining balance in your life will help your creativity flow. Put your health and wellness first, and give yourself time to enjoy life.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://signatureshape.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SignatureShape/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SignatureShape

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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